Multiple news agencies are reporting that the U.S. Ambassador to Libya and three others were killed in a rocket attack on their vehicle (although reports as to where he was at the time conflict). The State Department has not confirmed as of this writing. (Update – The White House has confirmed.)

The U.S. ambassador to Libya and three other embassy staff were killed in a rocket attack on their car, a Libyan official said, as they were rushed from a consular building stormed by militants denouncing a U.S.-made film insulting the Prophet Mohammad….

The Libyan official said the ambassador, Christopher Stevens, was being driven from the consulate building to a safer location when gunmen opened fire.

“The American ambassador and three staff members were killed when gunmen fired rockets at them,” the official in Benghazi told Reuters.

Al-Jazeera’s Suleiman Idrissi in Benghazi reported that the ambassador had been paying a short visit to the Eastern city, when the US building came under attack.

Security sources told the pan-Arab news agency that Stevens died of suffocation. The bodies of the dead were transported to the Benghazi international airport, to be flown to Tripoli and then onwards to a major US airbase in Germany, Al Jazeera added…..

Stevens had served as an envoy to Libya’s National Transitional Council during the Libyan uprising last year. The last US ambassador to be killed on duty was Adolph Dubs who died in an exchange of fire during a kidnapping attempt in Afghanistan in 1979.

Updates:

A photo is circulating of what purports to show Libyan protesters carrying the body of the Ambassador. It is unconfirmed.

Looks like photo confirmed, Ambassador body dragged through streets (image and story at Right Scoop — graphic)

Obama has staff watching the news. …. They are surely calling for him to strongly condemn the mobs. So they are writing up his get tough speech … Obama is practicing his strong look in the mirror.

This is Obama’s chance to pretend he is tough, even as his weakness has encouraged these actions. Any scolding of the American people would be out of place … but I’m not sure if Obama can restrain himself.

I wonder if these rockets were from the Gaddafi armories. President hands off and wait till too late to be effective didn’t want boots on the ground in Libya then.

Hillary has already given Dear Leader the perfect “out” if he should decide to wimp-out on America and support the Arab Spring thugs. That might look bad though for his re-election bid, allowing Islamic jihadi’s to attack and kill an American ambassador. I guess he better either ask his wife or Jimmy Carter – they can give appropriate guidance.

Better yet – he can ask Sasha and Malia for advice. Maybe he should ask them “do you think it’s OK if Muslim men marry”? Yea, he should speak publicly on that topic. That would further expand the “Arab spring” to “Arab summer”.

Rarity in the sens that when was the last time an U.S. Ambassador been killed? maybe I should write long detailed posts rather than keeping my thoughts to myself. I seem to forget irc is not the same as commenting on Professor Jacobson’s blog.

Heh, and this is what backlash is. Did I make any mention of disrespecting the Marines? No. But for not mentioning the Marine, falling instantly to think of the wording of the article “embassy staff”, I come to think of either the Ambassador’s staffers, or Federal Agents or hired security that stick with the Ambassador. Had it been Marines killed, the news, biased as it is, would correct it eventually or report it initially as “Marines” or any variation of it to indicate a U.S. serviceman was also killed.

This is news coming fast and updated regularly. The wording can change from the time I posted it before retiring to bed for a nap, and now.

I accept the downvotes, because I seemed to have erred in not also remembering the Marines whose solemn duty it is to protect U.S. Ambassadors and the compounds, even when that point had been drilled into me by my International Security professor (a consultant for a company, but also once a Dept. State employee).

Makes me undeserving of my nickname dontchathink? How can one be a mil-otaku if I forget something as simple as that.

Rare occurrence? Wake up. It’s becoming a regular event. That there aren’t more deaths and casualties a credit to the personnel on the ground, it has nothing whatsoever to do with any consequences or accountability meted out from the finger wagers in Washington.

Apparently the other “unidentified” casualties were two United States Marines. Understandably, their names haven’t been released, but the administration hasn’t even got the guts to acknowledge they were marines.

“I’ve got your backs.” Barack Obama to the VFW. What an appalling individual.

I understand this is happening, hell, saw this backfiring on us back when I was still i college a year ago. The rare occurrence is the death of an ambassador, but then again, trying to defend myself for making a fumble is not exactly kosher from what I’ve gathered.

Obama is solely responsible for this tragedy after his illegal intervention in Libya. There is no groundwork laid by his predecessor to remedy the situation and allow Obama to claim victory. Obama owns this and the GOP needs to point out what a pathetic failure this amateur has been. How much more evidence does anyone need that Obama is unqualified? The man disgraces the office he occupies.

Ill say something political first ten Ill stop. Am I surprised? Really no observing yesterdays “tone” with these events. Too busy to meet with Israel. Almost silly messages from Egypt….from of all places our Egyptian Ambassador. About the same from Libya.
Without listing all those resets and positives we expected from the Great Arab Spring? This is the result? Its how Americans will view this. We see the bottom line.
Are w safer today than 4 years ago? Apparently not.
Something is wrong with our foreign policy when we twist free speech to overworry “feelings”
Dis anyone from our Egyptian Embassy point out the plain fact…concerning some cheesy video, how much effort was needed to find the stupid thing? And why on earth would a Muslim view the thing knowing it was distastful?
Come on. Its like complaining about the last scene in a porn film.
Why does all this seem familiar?
Weve been there thats why. And it took the threat of a Ronald Regan to reset things.
Not some mamby pamby “lets all be friends” fantasy.

WOW … Maybe the October surprise is coming early, though I’m not sure this is quite what they wanted. Can Obama’s teleprompter make him seem presidential?

Can they explain away, that his weakness has encouraged this? Will he condemn the attack, or instead condemn free speech in America again, as in the administration’s response in Egypt?

Will he find time to deal with this, or would it interrupt his campaign? May he can just issue another apology … stronger this time.

Or will he call out troops, call for voters to “rally around their president”? But Obama loves chaos and uprising … “get in their faces”. They are just doing the Arab Spring Obama encouraged, using the Bill Ayers playbook.

More chaos for “President Never let a crisis go to waste”. I guess his internal polling, and “Rules for Radicals” will determine how our president responds. His empty chair response to the CTU strike and Egyptian assault has been silence.

OMG. How can they spin this as Obama being a good leader? How? Leading from behind got his Ambassador KILLED. KILLED. How can this show him as being strong on FP? OMG. Look at that picture – it looks like him. They are scrambling at the Wh and the State Dept right now. How long before Terry Jones is arrested for something?

Wow. Did he really say that? Now we’re at fault if we dare to try and defend ourselves or our property from mobs of crazed Muslims attacking us whenever one or more of their loony imams gets them whipped up into a murderous frenzy over some imagined offense?

Anderson Cooper was right. These Democrats really do live in an alternate universe.

Cuomo, you’ve always been a damn fool. Now it appears that you’re a snivelling coward as well.

The Embassy of the United States in Cairo condemns the continuing efforts by misguided individuals to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims – as we condemn efforts to offend believers of all religions.

MANY HOURS LATER:

The White House is disavowing a statement from their own Cairo embassy that apologized for anti-Muslim activity in the United States.

“The statement by Embassy Cairo was not cleared by Washington and does not reflect the views of the United States government,” a senior administration official told POLITICO.

MANY HOURS LATER:

#SecClinton: The U.S. deplores any intentional effort to denigrate the religious beliefs of others. state.gov

President Empty Chair wants plausible deniability … a statement (apology) comes out from the administration’s people.

Then when Libya happens, they deny, and want a do over, after measuring reaction.

This is leading from behind. See how it plays out, poll reactions, listen to media, then read another script.

Obama still campaigning … it’s all he knows how to do. Still not picking up on the concept of being the executive.

I still expect Obama to try to emphasize the need to for American’s to not speak their mind, it might be hateful, even if it is true. Maybe a little Sharia law would be OK, and he could eat his waffle in peace.

The one really GOOD thing about this duel attack against America in both Egypt and Libya is that it now throws Obama into Israel’s lap! NOW would be the perfect time for Israel to attack Iran. What could Obama do other than support them? He certainly couldn’t side with the Islamists after their insult to our sovereign embassies.

This is a short time offer though – measured in hours and not days. Israel must act NOW.

If Obama was as intelligent as he’s made out to be, he would concede the election to Romney. I say this because he’s becoming, increasingly, a “dead man walking.” He has a disease every leader fears: a considerable base of opposition which is solidified. If he thinks the first term has been tough, just let him get another. There will be no let up, because he has show himself to be a failed leader.

He encourages those (“Arab Spring”) who spit in his face. He insults those (Israel) who would be his friend. If he’s not being laughed at (either openly or discreetly), there are those who scheme to take advantage of his inexperience and naivety. Where there has been divisiveness, he failed to even make “baby steps” toward some form of resolution. Where there has been union, or at least friendly tolerance, he’s sown divisiveness. Even among some of those who had been his most ardent supporters there is dissension. True it’s not a mass exit, but there’s a fading away. None of this is ever a good sign for a leader.

Some say Obama’s term is Carter’s “second” one. I disagree. I think most would agree that Carter is a good, decent man who loved this country (at least, this could have been said at the time of his presidency), but wasn’t an effective leader as president. Can the same be said of Obama? A good, decent man? Maybe. Who loves this country? In your dreams. No, Obama may still win the presidential election, but he has already lost the most sufficient vote that counts most of all. He’s lost the votes of their heart. Without this another four years will be one long, long “Bataan Death March.” Redeem yourself, Mr. President. Concede to Mr. Romney.

The UK Telegraph reports this type of an attack was not unanticipated:

On 11 June, a rocket-propelled grenade was fired at Dominic Asquith, the British Ambssador to Libya, as he drove through Benghazi. The Foreign Office have just told me that after that incident, the British diplomatic office in the city was closed and all UK personnel withdrawn.

This sounds like 1993, when two U.S. Black Hawk helicopters were shot down in Somalia and the bodies of dead American soldiers were dragged through the streets of Mogadishu. Bill Clinton was president at that time, and the event arose out of an ill-advised American-led invasion of Somalia. He showed the same spineless leadership as Carter had in dealing with Iran when mobs attacked our embassy and held 52 Americans hostage for 244 days. (They were released only after the election of Reagan.) Clinton abandoned Somalia, leaving the clear impression that Americans are gutless and easily cowed.

And now Obama is also leading the Muslim world to believe they can attack Americans with impunity. There will be more deaths and more bodies dragged through the streets by these barbarians.

Muslims well know that they can get away with any offense to Americans as long as Democrats are ensconced in the White House.

It’s so sad to see what an idiot can do to world peace if given the chance. All those folks voting for the Demcorats in November should realize they are voting in favor of World War 3, because encouraging all these crazy indigenous movements all over the middle east and removing the policeman of the world from keeping the peace can have no other outcome.

Maybe, if he attended more Daily Presidential Briefings, he wouldn’t have let this situation fester so without taking some action. But, then again, . . .

Doesn’t invoke any confidence in what he and his administration has to say about Israel and Iran. It’s bad, bad indeed, when citizens of a country have to tell their leader to get the h*** off the campaign trail and television programs (e.g., Letterman) and do the job for which he was elected!

He’s in a vice of his own making. On the one hand, there’s the side that supported him who want him to deliver. On the other hand, there’s the side he ran against who want him to deliver. He played one against the other. Now, it’s time to deliver and he’s showing he’s not that astute.

I take no delight in this, since he is the president of our country. However, he’s been doing the “thumbing the nose” at too many for too long.

Obama’s administration apologizes to the Egyptian mob, but attacks Romney.

As Mary Jo was drowning, Kennedy went to cover his political ass. As the Middle East embassies are being attacked, Obama is still not in front of the American people, but he acts politically to cover his tracks.

This whole incident horrifies and angers me so much. Are we supposed to believe that these islamists didn’t know the significance of 9/11 when they chose today to ‘protest’? Are we supposed to believe that it was ‘partisanship’ that made Romney speak out on 9/11? News flash for the media, the first U.S. Ambassador to be killed in three decades is a ‘Big F-in Deal’. The decision to go after Osama Bin Laden was not a gutsy call (anyone would have done the same in his shoes). How he reacts to this will either be a gutsy call, or a foreign policy failure. The fact that the White House and the State Department haven’t been consistent in their response, and the fact that we haven’t had a firm condemnation from the president show which way we are leaning right now. A statement is not enough, there must be a very swift and decisive response to this.

You are being much more charitable than I could ever be with your use of “inadvertent”. Meanwhile, our campaigner in chief has jetted off to Nevada for some more shmoozing and fundraising, while all hell is breaking loose. We are in the hands of imbeciles.

Maybe Obama will start attending some daily Intel briefings now. Condolences and prayers for the families of those who lost their lives. Romney’s earlier comments were about the irresponsible apology from Egypt embassy and were appropriate. This is important because President Blame Everyone But ME and his media guard dogs will be looking for escape from Presidential responsibility.

On behalf of all Americans, I’d like to take a moment to issue some long overdue apologies:

We apologize to the King of England for fucking up his imported tea business.

We apologize to the Kaiser for messing up the mustard gas futures market.

We apologize to the Japanese for upsetting their Hawaiian vacation plans.

We apologize to Nazi Germany for interfering in their real estate acquisition plans.

We apologize to the French for littering their beaches with the bodies of dead American soldiers.

We apologize to the Soviet Union for giving murderous totalitarianism a bad name.

We apologize to Osama Bin Laden for constructing our buildings so tall we cost him those jet liners he had just acquired.

We apologize to all the illegal immigrants for maintaining such a wonderfully free country so full of opportunity that we force them to break our laws.

We apologize to the militant Islamic world for our very existence, which serves as a beacon of hope for the Islamic people in the world who fail to recognize and refuse to live under the suffocating and deadly nature of 12th century style theocratic dictatorships.

And lastly, we apologize to President Barack Obama for failing to recognize his brilliance in all matters, for being too stupid to understand the superiority of his policies, for refusing to accept that his many failed policies are actually working perfectly well, for refusing to accept his the results of his incompetences as ‘the new normal’, and for allowing our doubts to tarnish the magnificence of his very being.

There. That should do it. All accounts are now balanced. Let peace reign across the world.

I apologize for omitting that apology, plus, by extension, two more: I apologize to the world’s flora for allowing pigeon shit to hit my head because it usually contains plant seeds that otherwise would find purchase in our soil, for which I apologize to the Indians for stealing.

Me as well. I mean really. Imagine being a family member today of any of those killed?
Id sure have several questions for the Adminstration beginning with “where was the proper protection in place”?
I thought these countries were our friends.
Why did the host countries not stop these things pronto?

Just pathetic. We dont expect our diplomats to be at risk like this. If they are? We have no business being there.
Lets see how fast we close our Embassies in Egypt and Libya….and give their representatives here in DC a one way ticket back to where they belong.
Perhaps subject to review when the countries have their houses in order. And reached some measure of common civilized status.
Would this have happened 4 years ago?
Hey Hillary. Talk about this today: We came, we saw, he’s dead. You sure were flexing diplomatic muscle when arab spring overthrew existing leadership in Libya.
Today not so much.

Anxiously awaiting a speech from our lecturer in chief to the effect of “while what they did was wrong, we must fight against using words that may incite hate” and how we have to show tolerance for others all under the guise of it being a “Teachable Moment” for us little people.

Bibi: “Don’t forget, Your Infantile Majesty, the ghastly, crude b’yotch slappin’ you handed me for requesting an audience with Your Eminence at the end of this month. YOU the Man, oh Anointed One! YOU ARE THE MAN,’Yo! Manly. I say. Manly,’Yo!”

Obama and Hillary both framed the old apology in a new way: “we strongly stand for religious tolerance. BUT there is no excuse for these attacks”. That essentially still puts some blame on our free speech, and that this lack of “religious tolerance” was wrong, but not wrong enough to merit this response.

Whatever is in this movie, it did not prohibit freedom of religion, it only spoke freely about another religion. “Religious tolerance” … is that like “mild sharia” … encouraging people to shut up? The left’s “war on Christianity” is fine, but attacking any aspects of Islam is bad because it is not “religious tolerance”?

Romney was very strong I thought, looking more like a strong CEO than trying to emote a practiced expression. He emphasized America’s free speech that we would not apologize for.

Obama takes a million from Maher, and can’t bring himself to condemn his vile attacks on Palin, but he still “tut tuts” Americans that aren’t strong enough in their “religious tolerance”.

It seems to happen a lot that the Obama admin releases, retracts, and amends statements when news breaks, rather than getting it correct the first and only time. It happens so often, I wonder if they have no idea what to say, so they purposefully say a little bit of everything and, via retractions and amendments, go with the one that gets the best reaction. Administrative message discipline is not an Obama strong point.

How embarrassing to be an Obama supporter this morning. Carter-lite, indeed. All Hope and Change has turned to Dread and Regret. That is it has if one has normal intelligence and feelings. On the other hand …….

There are some reports that the pics were of people trying to help the ambassador. For his family’s sake, I hope that was the case.

It’s clear, through hindsight, that the consulate was reopened too soon. Perhaps, it shouldn’t have opened at all, possibly later (after better security was installed) or should have closed again. Especially, in light of the Brits leaving.

But, if you look back at the timing of the announcement of it reopening a few things catches one’s eye.

First, Gaddafi was still around.

Second, we still didn’t know who was going to be in charge in Gaddafi’s absence.

“It’s clear, through hindsight, that the consulate was reopened too soon. Perhaps, it shouldn’t have opened at all, possibly later (after better security was installed) or should have closed again.”

According to reports I heard, security was handled by Libyan nationals. Unnamed ‘Libyan officials’ moved embassy staff to another building – then betrayed their location to the protesters who went over and killed them. Reports said the two US Marines who were killed were sent there from a different location. In other words, a clusterfark all the way around.